Of SPs, deep thoughts, Respect and embarassment

For most of last week I was at a “Strategic Planning Workshop” (one of those!) the setting was perfect, tranquil and beautiful and not a speck of cell phone reception anywhere in the confines of the hotel, ah brilliant for focussed thinking! Well it was a lot of work though half the time I get annoyed by how things are phrased, “strategic intent, frameworks, blah blah” I think people should just learn to use simple terms! Or maybe I am just too much of a simpleton! Anyway during one of the sessions I couldn’t help drifting off (I promise I was participating and attentively listening the rest of the time!) and here is what I wrote:

*******************

So I got to a point (I am not sure how) where I now check what I say. The reason is because I stop and ask myself what my words will do, whether they will come back empty or whether they will hit a home run. And I think I have already avoided a whole lot of conflict which would have been pointless really. To be precise I ask myself if imparting my opinion will necessarily change someone’s behaviour or thinking. if it doesn't no use wasting my breath. And if it does, whether my motives are good in trying to change that.

I believe I have matured amazingly because I have also come to a realisation that there are just some things I can’t change and that are beyond my power to, and in the same vein, there are things that only my God can deal with. ( yeah i know i should have realised that long back, but hey i am here now thats all that matters!) And I have stopped stressing about those, every time I start to fret, I stop and say, “Dad you got that one right?” I also recall every time I get afraid a sermon by Dr Creflo dollar about fear. He said the Lord says I have not given you a spirit of fear, and that every time we are afraid it means we are not trusting God to do what He said He would do. We do not believe that He can take care of it and that’s some serious stuff right there.

********************
This is one of the thoughts that crossed my mind as I listened to people speak at the SP; it’s a funny thing, respect, it determines what your ears are willing to listen to, what your mind is willing to absorb and what your heart is willing to believe as someone speaks. Never underestimate respect, and should you find yourself in danger of losing it for someone, try to run as fast as possible. If you are going to remain in the company, employ or influence of someone, rather try to keep RESPECT for them in tact.

**********************

On a sad note, today marks the occurrence of the most embarrassing thing ever to happen to me, and it’s too embarrassing even to write down. I only hope when I look back and read this, I shall remember what it was because I know most certainly, today my ears might be heating up from the shame, but very soon it shall become just another faded memory. I hope it shall be the same with my colleagues! Argh!